12g finally wet...suggestions welcome

[kad1979]

Hello all, well my Cad Lights 12g arrived last week and I got it wet today. I am starting with 10lbs of LS and 12 pounds of LR plus 2 lbs of LR rubble in the back center compartment. I am using a Aqueon 50W heater. I also have some filter floss in the first compartment to eliminate large particles.

I used real ocean water from Catalina to start the tank. Everything is looking good for it being up and running for a few hours now. I have the temp of the tank at 79 degrees.

Any suggestions? I am learning all over again as it has been 15 years since I was in the hobby.

Thanks in advance.

<a href="http://s392.photobucket.com/albums/pp1/keithdeyoung/?action=view&amp;current=Phoenix-20120904-00375-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp1/keithdeyoung/Phoenix-20120904-00375-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[x3thelast]

looks good, as always id personally start off with softies in a new tank just to observe it as well as the water params. your scape looks pretty homey for a goby and pistol shrimp duo too.

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

Really nice kad, thanks for sharing. . .

[kad1979]

Thanks guys!

I am thinking that a pistol and goby paired would be awesome. Could I get away with one additional small fish?

[baxinabox]

kad,

Awesome looking tank! i too am running a 8 gallon nano Tank with a goby and pistol shrimp. before you even get this combo.. make sure and i wish i could go back to do this.. place the rockwork in the tank first then the sand around it. my pistol shirmp has made a mess of my rock work ( i got some rocks leaning now to the left or right.. ) that little monster digs stright to the glass. love the combo though very fun to watch, also he will become a mence to the hermits.

wish you the best of luck with your tank!, 15 years out of the hobby is ok.. its like riding a bike you'll never forget. :)

[TundraGuy]

Yo bax and kad the cool thing about such small tanks is that you can always pull the rocks out and re-do them. With such small aqua scapes you guys should look into the pegging method. This is easy to do get a drill bit and some ridged airline tubing. Drill holes all over the rocks then cut the ridged tubing into pieces. Place one two or three rocks on the bottom of the tank and plug the ridged tubing in then slide a rock over the tubing keep going till you get some crazy rock structures. Then when you get a digger like a pistol going under the rocks nothing will fall cus it’s all one piece. This trick is also great for coral placement cus all you have to do is glue the coral to a piece of tubing and plug it in where you want it. You can even plug them into the side of the rock instead of having to place the coral on the rock top. Hope this is helpfull

[Spirofucci]

Looks great to me! LR, LS = cool. Live water from Catalina ultra cool.

Do you live in Avalon, lol?

[kad1979]

Ok, my tank has been up nearly a week. Just tested (which I knew the answer to by looking at my tank).

Temp- 80
Specific Gravity- 1.026
pH- 7.8
Ammonia- 0
Nitrate- 0
Ammonia- 0

When should I expect a die off from the rock?

Sprio- no I don't live in Avalon:) I wish, I used real ocean water from Catalina Water Company...sorry for the short hand confusion.

[x3thelast]

small tanks have almost instant cycling especially if youre using live rock, sand AND NSW.

my tiny tanks have all been stocked within a week or two. check your levels again next week to be on the safe side if you want. but you can SLOWLY start adding corals in there.

[x3thelast]

damn...double post

[Mr Cob]

looks great, really clean looking, can't wait to see it stocked.

[kad1979]

Well it is coming along nicely. I have stocked the tank with a CUC, YWG, a cluster of 50 green zoas, a cluster of 10 orange zoas and a single head of frogspawn just today. I don't know if it is a good sign but both the zoas and frogspawn opened literally immediately when introducing them to the tank.

Plus I redid the scape a bit...

<a href="http://s392.photobucket.com/albums/pp1/keithdeyoung/?action=view&amp;current=Phoenix-20120913-00409.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp1/keithdeyoung/Phoenix-20120913-00409.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[tommer725]

Das awesome

[kad1979]

I am adding a randall's pistol shrimp next week when my LFS gets some in. I would like to add another invert to the tank. Is there another species of shrimp that you suggest that will do well in this tank? Besides stocking in with corals I will prob add only on more fish in addition to the YWG. Still deciding on what type of fish that will be.

[Fretfreak13]

Mantis shrimp. Trololol XP

Kidding. As big and bad as that youtube video makes the pistols seem, I've never actually seen or heard of one killing a fish. There are some larger species, but most of the randalls shrimps are rather small. IMO, blood shrimp are really neat, or maybe a pom pom crab if you're into crabs. =)

[kad1979]

Update, I ended up getting a small tiger pistol and 3 sexy shrimp. I added all of them last Friday and the tank is doing really well for how young it is. The only thing is I haven't seen my YWG since I put the pistol in. I have seen the pistol quite a bit but no sign of the YWG. Hopefully he is just laying low.

Just this morning I noticed a pod outbreak!! :) So I am thinking that he might be eating pods easy in hiding

[kad1979]

Well I posted this on the new forum but thought I would share a quick cell picture here. I found the YWG last night in my LR rubble in the back of my tank. It was a challenge to get him out and he didn't see to be doing well at all after FINALLY getting him out.

When I introduced the pistol last Friday the YWG showed interest but the pistol didn't. When I got the goby into the DT last night the lights were out. I woke up this morning to a VERY happy goby living with the Tiger Pistol. YES!!! They paired up...they were already out and about this morning doing there thing. It is sooo cool to watch!!

Crappy cell photo of the happy couple.

<a href="http://s392.photobucket.com/albums/pp1/keithdeyoung/?action=view&amp;current=Phoenix-20120918-00447.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp1/keithdeyoung/Phoenix-20120918-00447.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[kad1979]

Figured I would provide an update. I posted one in "new to the hobby" with no love. Maybe they don't care for nanos much:) I am really looking for feedback to make sure i am on the right path. My gut tells me I am but I included a video so I am hoping you can provide feedback on the overall health of the tank roughly 6 weeks in.

The tank continues to progress nicely in my humble opinion. The most interesting has been the corraline growth. You will notice on the top rock corraline is coming in very dark green but is in the process of turning to dark purple. The growth has been very rapid.

The only small set back I have had thus far is one of my sexy shrimp was eating zoas. He was decimating them. I have moved them to a ghetto frag rack ($3 upside down toothbrush holder) until I decide what to do. No zoas or no sexys...hmmm? It took almost a week for them to all open up again.

Water changes continue to be weekly 2.5 gallon using real ocean water. the big 3 params have stayed perfect...I have not tested yet for any others at this point as I have some pretty fool proof coral, I think:). Plus I am not dosing currently.

I added the clown yesterday and will probably wait another 6-8 weeks until I add the last fish. Still up in the air on what I will get. Open to suggestions.

Here is the stock list today:

CUC:

5 hermits
3 turbo snails
1 nassarius snail

Inverts:
3 sexy shrimp
1 Tiger pistol
1 pom pom crab


Corals/dusters/etc:

Colony of 50 green zoas
Colony of 10 orange zoas
Kenya tree
Pulsing xenia
1 Yuma ricordia
Feather duster
GSP
Maxi Mini (doing awesome, feeding and eating raw grocery store shrimp bits)


Fish:

Yellow watchman goby
Ocellaris clown (tank raised) added yesterday


As always, I am open to suggestions!

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[kad1979]

Ooops, I forgot to ask the question I am most curious about and the main reason for posting a video instead of a photo. How does the flow in the tank look? I am currently only using the return pump aimed at the surface. I am wondering if I need more flow. However, everything seems happy so far.

[Fretfreak13]

Looking good. Needs come color though, you should look at ricordea ;) They are very vibrant and come in pretty much every color.

Its hard to tell with flow unless I'm litereally standing in front of your tank. Basically, you don't want any "dead spots". The best and easiest way, IMO, is to take a small piece of rubble and tie a bright piece of sewing thread to it with a long strand hanging off. Place the rock in every corner and back area of the tank, and if the thread is moving, you're good.

[kad1979]

Looking good. Needs come color though, you should look at ricordea ;) They are very vibrant and come in pretty much every color.

Its hard to tell with flow unless I'm litereally standing in front of your tank. Basically, you don't want any "dead spots". The best and easiest way, IMO, is to take a small piece of rubble and tie a bright piece of sewing thread to it with a long strand hanging off. Place the rock in every corner and back area of the tank, and if the thread is moving, you're good.

Thanks!! I would have never thought of the rubble and string trick. Great idea!! Yes, I know it badly needs some color. I have the one ricordea sitting on the sand bed. It has been in the tank a few weeks and seems to be doing pretty good. I really like it BUT I have done research on them and see mixed reviews. Many say that they are difficult to keep.

[Fretfreak13]

To some people, xenia is hard to keep. It all depends on your system, and often certain corals melt for some people and thrive for others in the same measurable conditions. I suppose you can use that one you have now to determine if they will do well in your system or not. However, soon I will be placing a ricordea order from Aquascapers. ;) Never seen prettier ones at better prices.

[baxinabox]

hey kad!

First off GREAT looking Tank bud! The tank + owner are on a Great road to Sucess!
keep on those water changes they have done wonders on my tank as well.

as far as stocking your tank, have you taken a look at some zoa's? or maybe a rock annome?, rics are really pretty too! and all very easy to care for.

i would maybe replace the sexy shrimp for maybe a porcelain crab?

[kad1979]

To some people, xenia is hard to keep. It all depends on your system, and often certain corals melt for some people and thrive for others in the same measurable conditions. I suppose you can use that one you have now to determine if they will do well in your system or not. However, soon I will be placing a ricordea order from Aquascapers. ;) Never seen prettier ones at better prices.

Thanks! Yes I plan to see how the Yuma does to gauge how well others will. I have heard that FL rics are easier. Awesome site and GREAT prices is right. Thanks for the info. If the one I has continues to do well for a few months I will be jumping all over some from that site!

[kad1979]

hey kad!

First off GREAT looking Tank bud! The tank + owner are on a Great road to Sucess!
keep on those water changes they have done wonders on my tank as well.

as far as stocking your tank, have you taken a look at some zoa's? or maybe a rock annome?, rics are really pretty too! and all very easy to care for.

i would maybe replace the sexy shrimp for maybe a porcelain crab?

Thank you! Yes, I love zoas but my sexy shrimp are decimating them. I think the sexys might have to go soon!

[BigAl2007]

Great looking tank!

I do want to voice one concern... Live Rock Rubble (LRR) in the back chamber. Live Rock Rubble is no different than Bio-Balls or any other small mass media and can become fully clogged with detritus and other nasties in just a few months. Many of us with Nano Tanks learned this the hard way.... after several months your NO# starts to slowly creep up and up with no end in sight. It's because the LRR has collected a lot of "gunk" and because it's so heavily populated with Aerobic bacteria is does a great job breaking it down in short order from "organic materials" into Ammonia, then Nitrite, and then Nitrate. Because the LRR isn't able to colonize with AnAerobic bacteria (which converts NO3, Nitrate, into simple gases so they can leave the tank.

In essence the LRR does it's job TOO well and isn't able to do the final part of the process.

[kad1979]

Thanks BigAl. I think I get what you are saying. What would you recommend? My LRR is half way up the tank (pretty loosely packed) with the second half full of chaeto. Do you think with a lesser amount I will be ok? If not, what do you recommend? I have been thinking about a skimmer for the past couple of weeks. I am crazy obsessive with water changes and testing as this tank is still so young. However, I don't know what benefit I would see with a skimmer beyond maybe being able to go a bit longer between water changes? Dunno?

I added an orange metallic shroom and some yellow polyps earlier this week...everything is rockin' and corals are taking off (yes I know I have easy ones:)).

I must say, this little tank is a blast so far.

[chaseg89]

Your tank looks awesome. I have a rimless 9 gallon that I am hoping to have up and running within the next couple of weeks. I really like your aquascape it's very similar to what I am hoping to do with mine once the tank is up. I love YWG they are one of my favorite fish, we have one in our 55g and that is the first thing I plan on putting in my 9g, great minds think alike I guess :wavehand:

[Hzuiel]

Sooooo....pistol shrimp and yellow watchman gobies pair up? Howso and why?

Answered my own question, that's neat. If I ever start up a pico I'll definitely consider such a pairing.

[kad1979]

Thanks Chase and Hzuiel. The YWG and pistol are fascinating to watch. The funny thing is my clown has joined them. He rarely moves any significant distance from them. I swear he is trying to pair up with my YWG! I also have seen my pistol come in contact with the clown and is not bothered by him at all.

A YWG and pistol in a 9g would be perfect. These guys literally do not move more then 6 inches from their burrow.

[chaseg89]

I had considered doing a pistol shrimp YWG pair, I think I might get a pair of harlequin shrimp though, I haven't made up my mind yet because I know pistol shrimp and YWG are very interesting to watch.

[justhaag]

nice tank!!

[kad1979]

My tank is 3 months in and everything is doing well. My kenya, GSP, and pulsing xenia are all growing well. The pulsing xenia actually already had a stalk split off from the 1 frag I had and the GSP has probably doubled in size.

In the last month I have had tons of spirobid snails growing on the back of the tank.

And OH! I added a JBJ ATO as I left for 6 days recently. I should have done that day ONE! So nice...

Quick little video...

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